Curtin officially axes first year courses at School of Mines

The Vice-Chancellor of Curtin University, which manages the Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) in Kalgoorlie, says years of advertising have not succeeding in attracting first-year students to the campus, but students numbers in upper years remain strong.

Professor Jeanette Hacket visited Kalgoorlie yesterday and met with community leaders including Mayor Ron Yuryevich, State MP John Bowler and Goldfields-Esperance Development commission chairman Graham Thomson.

All have been outspoken supporters of WASM, and have been critical of Curtin's management of the 109-year old mining school.

Of particular concern has been the inadequate number of enrolments in first year programs at the Kalgoorlie campus, with Curtin saying it will cease offering first year courses from 2012.

John Bowler says he's "devastated."

"Curtin over the last couple of years has promised that they would try introducing a generic first-year science-engineering [course] in Kalgoorlie, that may have been the saviour," Mr Bowler said.

"They haven't bothered doing it."

Prof Hacket says despite offering scholarships which include $10,000 for each year of study and work placements in Kalgoorlie, young people want to start university with a city experience.

"This year, despite enormous efforts with recruiting, we've only got three students enrolled in mining engineering; in extractive metallurgy we have four students and another 3 in other programs," she says.

"We've got unviable numbers, it's financially not sustainable. In 2012 the federal government will move to a model where funding is completely student demand driven."

Graham Thomson says the opportunity to study in a mining town hasn't been promoted enough.

"We are aware that prospective students aren't being made aware that first year study in Kalgoorlie is an option. There is an issue in the way Curtin University has encouraged people to consider first year in Perth, ignoring Kalgoorlie," he said.

It's a claim Prof Hacket firmly rejects.

"In the four years since we highlighted this problem we have undertaken extensive marketing. There's a marketing officer based in Kalgoorlie, and university does promotion across the state and internationally."

And she points to the success the school has had in attracting upper level students to the campus.

"We've grown the numbers in Kalgoorlie from 308 to 448 over five years. We've been enormously successful in recruiting students for third, fourth years and postgraduate programs."

"Kalgoorlie has never had so many students. WASM is absolutely thriving at this stage."

The university has also developed a $75 million plan to upgrade teaching and accommodation facilities in Kalgoorlie.